THE HUDSON VALLEY GAMELAN WILL PERFORM THEIR WINTER CONCERT AT BARD COLLEGE ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Featured artists include Ari Candrawati Saptanyana, Putu Bagus Krisna Saptanyana, I Nyoman Suadin, and Chris Romero
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.-The Hudson Valley Gamelan (HVG) will perform their annual winter concert on Thursday, November 29, at Bard College. Free and open to the public, the program-featuring Balinese music and dance-begins at 8:00 p.m. in Olin Hall. "A rare performance of gamelan music was the major event of the evening," wrote Peter Marshall in the Lakeville Journal Compass of a recent performance by the HVG at Bard. "It is a fascinating form of music making . . . a great chance for many to experience music from East Asia."
The program includes performances of Gilak Sasak, Baris, Cendrawasih, and Jagul (Bebarongan). The Surya Kanchana Gender Wayang Ensemble will perform two pieces, including Batel Ramayana. Featured guest artists include Ari Candrawati Saptanyana and her son Putu Bagus Krisna Septanyana, I Nyoman Suadin (from the Gamelan Mitra in Washington, DC), and Chris Romero (from the Gamelan Dharma Swara in Manhattan).
Gamelan is the name given to the traditional orchestras and ensembles of Java and Bali, made up primarily of percussion instruments. Bard College's program in Balinese music and dance was established in 1998. The HVG comprises two ensembles in residence at Bard-one composed of Bard students, called Chandra Kanchana (Golden Moon), and the other consisting of members of the community, called Giri Meka (Mountain Flower). This year they are both under the direction of I Nyoman Saptanyana.
The ensembles play a set of gamelan gong kebyar instruments crafted from jackfruit wood, bamboo, and bronze by Pande Gabeleran, a gongsmith from Blahbatuh, Gianyar, Bali. These instruments are on permanent loan to Bard College, courtesy of Woodstock Percussion owner and C.E.O. Garry Kvistad, the founding member of Giri Mekar. This ensemble was initially formed in 1988 and, before relocating to Bard, performed in the Hudson Valley at the Bearsville Theater and the Bardavon Opera House. The first joint performance by Chandra Kanchana and Giri Mekar was in May of 1999.
This program has been made possible with the generous support of Luise and Samuel H. Scripps. The HVG also gives special thanks to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia and to Gamelan Dharma Swara, both in Manhattan, for their help in support of this performance. For further information, call Bard College at 845-758-6822.
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(11.14.01)